Whimsy: the Scot Augustson Story (working title)

Whimsy is a stylized and playfully constructed feature-length documentary about the life and work of Seattle’s mercurial playwright, Scot Augustson. His shadow puppet theatre is bawdy, whimsical, and irreverent with a sense of heart.

Whimsy documents the production of Scot’s latest shadow puppet creation, “Where the River Styx Meets Route 66,” a hilarious adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey performed in a circus tent. With magical realism and 1920’s style radio narration, Whimsy draws the viewer into Scot’s imaginative world, where they discover that self-doubt, loneliness, and regret are his constant companions.

By blending elements of performance and fiction, the documentary relies on non-traditional story telling to evoke curiosity and create an atmosphere of spectacle. It follows the linear story of the play’s production through writing and rehearsal to opening night. Scot’s backstory and interviews become surreal as shadow puppets reveal themselves on walls, drapes, and fog